The Real McKenzies – Oot & Aboot

The Real McKenzies – Oot & Aboot

While the promo information about The Real McKenzies tour them as a mix between the Sex Pistols and Scottish folk legend Robbie Burns, I just don’t happen to see this connection. Sure, if you want to call the Sex Pistols and the McKenzies related because they both play a fast style of music, sure. However, I would say that as a whole, The Real McKenzies have a sound that draws more heavily from the rockabilly and the synth-pop movement of the 1980s, spend up by a factor of three or four. Not quite traditional enough to be closely related to the Chieftains or Great Big Sea, nor punky enough to compete with the Dropkick Murphies or Flogging Molly, The Real McKenzies fill a definite middle ground that ensures that no one will find them to their dislike. Some tracks, especially those compositions that were only musically edited by The Real McKenzies, such as “Ye Banks and Braes”, and “Heather Bells”, really provide strong steps for the success of the album, but tracks like “Oot & About” and “Get Lost” really are formulaic. All and all, this disc has a much different feel than I would have pegged to The Real McKenzies, but I was only familiar with Scots Wae Hae (off of Clash of the Tartans).

Rating : 6.8/10



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